Fight over smoking in casinos continues
Published: February 22, 2009
HARTFORD, Conn. - Connecticut lawmakers are continuing their efforts persuade the state’s two casinos to kick the habit of
allowing smoking at the facilities.
After a proposed ban on smoking at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun
failed last year, Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s office reached an unofficial
agreement to prohibit smoking in at least 20 percent of Mohegan
Sun’s gambling areas.
The Mashantucket Pequots, owners of Foxwoods, have also been
talking with Rell’s office. There is a smoke-free casino and
smoke-free poker room at the complex.
Now, southeastern Connecticut lawmakers want those promises in
writing. A bill up for discussion this week requires the tribes to
enter into such agreements to reduce, remove and monitor secondhand
smoke as a condition for renewing a liquor permit.
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Reader Reactions
Not ALL of it
Yes I agree that there should be no smoking for health reasons in the casinos, but, keep in mind that the casinos are located on Indian Reservations… so I think it’s quite uncalled for to make them stop, but, I think if we educate them enough they will make the decision themselves and eliminate all this fighting. Afterall, they are native to this country and we did take their land.
i believe that the casinos should ban smoking just like any other public establishment. having separate rooms for smokers DOES NOT WORK. i believe that people who want to gamble will do so regardless of the smoking laws so i don’t think there is a financial loss for the casinos involved. when smoking was banned in restaurants and bars, the owners feared a loss in revenue but people still go out to eat and certainly there are still plenty of people in the bars so i believe that the casinos should not be exempt.
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